New Delhi: The Delhi High Court reserved its order on Wednesday regarding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s pleas challenging his arrest by the CBI in the excise policy case and requesting interim bail.
Kejriwal’s senior counsel criticized the CBI for the arrest and sought his release on bail.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, conducting proceedings on a Muharram holiday, heard arguments from Kejriwal’s and the CBI’s lawyers before reserving the order on the petitions.
The high court scheduled further arguments on Kejriwal’s regular bail plea for July 29.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, called the arrest an “insurance arrest” aimed at preventing Kejriwal’s release from jail.
“It is unfortunately an insurance arrest. I have effectively three release orders in my favour (in the ED case) under very stringent provisions… These orders show that the man is entitled to be released. He would have been released but for this insurance arrest,” he argued.
Singhvi emphasized that Kejriwal, as the chief minister of Delhi, was not a terrorist and should be granted bail.
CBI advocate D P Singh opposed Kejriwal’s pleas, rejecting the claim that the arrest was an “insurance arrest.”
Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail, where he remains in custody related to a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21, and he was granted bail by the trial court on June 20 in the money laundering case. However, the high court stayed the trial court’s order.
On July 12, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the money laundering case.
The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 following a CBI probe ordered by the Delhi lieutenant governor into alleged irregularities and corruption in its formulation and execution.
The CBI and ED allege that irregularities occurred in modifying the excise policy and extending undue favours to license holders.
